Releasable locking mechanism



April 5, 1960 A. M. D'ARCANGELO RELEASABLE Locxmc MEcHANIsM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 26. 1958 INVENTOR. AMEuo M. D'ARCANGELO,

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April 5, 1960 A. M. D'ARCANGELO RELEASABLE LOCKING IECHANISM 2`Sheets-Sh`eet 2 Filed June 26. 1958 INVENTOR. AMELIO M D'ARCANGELO, BY

RELESABLE LGCKING MECHANISM Amelio M.- DArcangelo, Belmont, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Jersey Production Research Company, Tulsa, Okla., a corporation of Delaware Application June 26, 1958s Serial No. 744,774

8 Claims. (Cl. 61-465) first member has an opening therethrough, the perimeter f of which is defined by an upstanding member having an outwardly flaring second shell depending from its upper end. A first cam is attached to the first shell and is movable within an opening of the first shell. A second cam is attached to the upstanding member and is movable within an opening in the upstanding member. A locking means is carried exteriorly o'n the upstanding member between the first cam and the second cam and is movable from a first to a second position. Tripping means is carried by the first member in operative relationship to the first cam. Carried between the upstanding member and the second shell is a locking member in operative relationship to the first cam. Movement of the rst shell into mating engagement with the second shell causes the tripping means to move the first cam into operative position. position to a second position engages the second cam and moves the second cam into' contact with the locking means and moves the locking means from its first to its second position such that the first cam is locked between the locking means and the locking member, whereby the first member and second member are releasably locked together.

The releasable lockingr device of the present invention is particularly adaptable to releasably connecting a cylindrical caisson to a steel mat used in an offshore drilling structure. When a producing well is drilled with a mobile drilling platform, it is necessary to keep it on location unless a new platform of the fixed type is built to service the well. It will be appreciated that this requires appreciable time and expenditure unless some means may be provided to convert the mobile drilling platform to a stationary platform. In accordance with the present invention, this may be accomplished so that only the parts essentially needed for the service of the producing Well may be left on location, while the remaining parts and particularly the more costly elements of the structure may be remo'ved and used to assemble additional mobile platforms.

The four caissons or corner columns making up the usual mobile drilling platform constitute the more expensive elements of the structure. Other and additional numbers of caissons are sometimes used. In accordance with the present invention, the caissons and hydraulic drilling spuds are releasably attached to the mat member Means movable within the opening from a first 2,931,184 hatented Apr. 5, 1960 and thus after the well has been drilled the releasable caisso'ns and spuds may be removed and used elsewhere in providing mobile structure for drilling other wells.

The present invention will be further illustrated by reference to the drawing in which:

Fig. l shows apparatus of the present invention on a marine location for drilling a well; and

Figs. 2 through 4 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views of the lower end of the caisson of the present invention showing the various stages of operation.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, numeral 10 designates an offshore drilling platform provided with a drilling derrick 11 and the usual vwell drilling equipment 12. Moored adjacent the platform 10 is a service vessel 13 provided with a crane 14.

The platform 19 is supported by a mat member 15 resting on the bottom 16, the platform being vertically spaced above the mat 15 and supported by cross bracing and other structural members 17. The four corners of the platform 10 are provided with vertically arranged caissons 18 through which spuds 19 may be hydraulically driven into the sea or water bottomy 16 by hydraulic means 2i) connected to the spuds 19 by suitable lines and other hydraulic means 21.

The caissons 18 are releasably locked to the mat 15 by releasable locking means generally indicated by the numeral 22, which will be described further hereinafter, arranged in a well 23 of the mat 15.

It is to be noted that the mat 15 is provided with a drilling slot 24 through which wells may be drilled.

Referring now to' Figs. 2 through 4, the caisson 18 is provided on i-ts lower end with a truncated cone-shaped shell 25, which carries a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart cam members 26 movable on pin members 27 through slotted openings 27a in the shell 25.

The mat 15 provided with wells 23 have openings 28, the perimeter of which is defined by upstanding annular members 29, each of which has downwardly depending from its upper end a truncated cone-shaped shell 31B which provides an o'uter surface for engaging matingly with the inner surface of the shell 25. The upper end of the shell 39 and the annular member 29 may be rounded to provide a surface 31.

Carried by the annular member 29 on pin members 32 are a plurality of cams 33 arranged in slots 34.

The cams 33 and the cams 26 are spaced apart circumferentially on the shell 25 and the annular member 29, respectively.

Arranged in the well 23 and carried by the wall 35 of the mat 15 is an annular tripping means 36, which is arranged in operative relationship with the cams 26.

Carried between the shell 3f) and the annular member 29 is a floatable or movable ring member 37 which is movable from a first position to a second position andA is arranged between the cams v26 and 33. Arranged above the cams 26 and attached to the outer surface of the upstanding member 29 is a locking member 38, which is attached by means 39 to the member 29.

Arranged circumferentially spaced apart within the caisson 18 are a plurality ofcaisson brackets 40 which may be employed to transfer the weight of the caisson 18 to the mat 15. However, these brackets 40 may be dispensed with and the weight of the caisson 18 transferred directly to the shell 30.

The present invention will be further described Ain. which the caissons are releasably attached tothe mat 15.`

ase-Lise contact with the tripping ring 36 adjacent to the wall 35 of mat The earns 26 progressively rotate until they engage the locking member 3S, as shown in Fig. 3, which has a rounded surface.V Just immediately-.before the caisson 18 and the mating conical surfaces come in contact, the weight of the caisson 18 may be transmitted to the mat 15 through the brackets it? or by engagement of the shell directly with the shell 30. When the caisson 18 has reached this-position, the spud 19 is then lowered by hydraulic means 2G and 21 until it reaches the position where it has moved through the opening 28 as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. This causes the spud 19 to actuate the cams 33, moving them through slots 34 to engage the ring 37 and move the ring 37 from its first position to its second position to engage with the surface of the cam 26 and lock the cam 26 between the locking ring 3S and the locking ring 37. With cam 26 held in this position, the caisson 18 is locked to the mat 15 and in turn toy the platform and its supporting elements.

To unlock the caisson 18 from the steel mat 15, all that is necessary is to retract the spud 19 by a suitable hydraulic means as has Vbeen described which releases the caisson i8 from the mat 15 by rotation of the cams 33 from operative to inoperative position. Thereafter, by unbolting the structural members 45, 46, 47 and 48, or by cutting them with a cutting torch, the caissons 18 and the spuds 19 may be removed from the structure and used elsewhere in converting a stationary platform to a mobile platform or, as has been described, converting a mobile platform to a stationary platform. The present invention is of considerable advantage and utility in that, as has been pointed out supra, the caisson and the hydraulically operated spuds constitute the most expensive elements of offshore driiling structure such as has been described. With the present invention one member may be releasably locked to another member and then disconnected as may be desired.

The nature and objects of the present invention having been completely described and illustrated, what I wish to claim as new and useful and to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Releasable locking apparatus which comprises a first member and a second member, the lower end of the second member being formed to provide a first shell, said first shell being of a truncated cone shape and downwardly ared, the first and second members having an opening therethrough, the perimeter of the opening through the first member being defined by an upstanding member having depending from its upper end an outwardly fiaring second shell having an outer surface corresponding to" the downwardly flared first shell, said first shell telescopically fitting over the upstanding member, ya first cam attached to the first shell and movable within an opening in the first shell, a second cam attached to the upstanding member and movable within an opening in the upstanding member, a locking means carried exteriorly on the upstanding member between the first cam and the second cam and movable from a first to a second position, tripping means carried by said first member in operative relationship to said first cam, a locking member carried between the opstanding member and the second shell in operative relationship to said first cam,

`movement of said first shell into mating engagement with said second shell causing said tripping means to move the first cam to operative position, the second cam being adapted to be moved into contact with said locking means by a Spud `driven through the aligned openings of the first and second` members whereby the locking means is moved from its first to its second position such that the first cam is locked between the locking means and the locking member and whereby said first member and second member arereleasably locked together.

2. Releasable locking apparatus which comprises a first member and a second member, the lower end of the second member being formed to provide a first truncated downwardly flared cone-shaped shell, the first and second members having an opening therethrough, the perimeter of the opening through the first member being defined by an upstanding member having depending from its upper end an outwardly flaring second truncated coneshaped shell having an outer Surface corresponding to the downwardly dared first shell, said first shell telescopically fitting over the upstanding member, a first cam attached to the first shell and movable within an opening in the first shell, a second cam attached to therupstanding member and movable within an opening vin the upstanding member, a locking means carried exteriorly on the upstanding member between the first cam and the second cam and movable from a first to a second position, tripping means carried by said first member in operative relationship to said first cam, a locking member carried between the upstanding member and the second shell in operative relationship to said first cam, movement of said first shell into mating engagement with said second shell causing said tripping means to move the first cam to operative position, the second cam-being adapted to be moved into contact with said locking means by a spud driven through the aligned openings of the first and secend members whereby the locking means is moved from its first to its second position such that the first cam is locked between the locking means and the locking member and whereby saidfirst member and second member are releasably locked together.

3. Releasable locking apparatus which comprises a first horizontal member and a second vertical cylindrical member, the lower end-of the second member being formed to provide a first truncated downwardly flared coneshaped shell, the first and second members having a circular opening therethrough, the perimeter of the opening of the vfirst member being defined by an annular upstanding member having depending from its upper end an outwardly flaring second truncated cone-shaped shell having an outer surface corresponding to the downwardly fiared first shell, said first shell telescopically fitting over the upstanding member, a -lirst cam attached to the first shell and movable within an opening in the first shell, a second cam attached to the annular member and movable within an opening in the annular member, a locking ring carried exteriorly on the annular member between the first cam and the second cam and movable from a first to a second position, tripping means carried by said first member in operative relationship to said first cam, a locking member carried between the annular member and the second shell in operative relationship to said first cam, movement of said first shell into mating engagement with said second shell causing said tripping means to move the first cam to operative position, the second cam being adapted to be moved into contact with said locking ring by a spud driven through the aligned openings of the first and second members whereby the locking ring is moved from its first to its second position such that the first cam is locked betweenthe locking ring and the locking member and whereby said first member and second member are releasably locked together.

4. Releasable locking apparatus which comprises a first horizontal mat member and a second vertical cylindrical member, the lower end of the second member being formed to provide a first truncated downwardly ared cone-shaped shell, the first andsecond members having a circular opening therethrough, the perimeter of the opening through the .first member being defined by an annular upstanding member having depending from its upper end an outwardlyiiaring second truncated coneshaped shell having an outer surface corresponding to the downwardly flared first shell, said first shell telescopically fitting over the upstanding member, a first cam attached to the first shell and movable within an opening in the first shell, a second cam attached to the annular member and movable within an opening in the annular vmember between the first cam and the second cam and movable from a rst to a second position, tripping means p carried by said first member in operative relationship to said first cam, a locking member carried between the annular member and the second shell in operative relationship to said first cam, movement of said first shell into mating engagement with said second shell causing said tripping means to move the first cam to operative position, the second cam being adapted to be moved into contact'with said locking ring by a spud driven through the aligned openings of the first and -second members whereby the locking ring is moved from its 'first to its second position such that the first cam is locked between the locking ring and the loclringmember and whereby said first member and second member are releasably locked together, and means carried by the second member frictionally engaging with said first member for transferring weight of the second member to the first member.

5. Apparatus adapted to be releasably locked together which comprises a first horizontal member and a plurality of second vertical cylindrical members, the lower end of the second members being formed to provide a rst truncated downwardly flared cone-shaped shell, the first and second members having a plurality of circular openings therethrough, the perimeter of each of the openings through the first member being defined by an annular upstanding member having depending from its upper end an outwardly flaring second truncated cone-shaped shell having an outer surface corresponding to the downwardly ared first shell, said first shell telescopically fitting over the upstanding member, a plurality of first cams spaced apart on the first shell and each movable within an open`v ing in the first shell, a plurality of second cams spaced apart on the annular member and each movable within an opening in the annular member, a locking ring carried exteriorly on the annular member between the first cams and the second cams and movable from a first to a second position, annular tripping means carried by said rst member in operative relationship to said first cams, an annular locking member carried between the annular member and the second shell in operative relationship to said first cams, movement of said first shell into mating engagement with said second shell causing said tripping means to move the first cams to operative position, the second cams being adapted to be moved into contact with said locking ring by a spud driven through the aligned openings of the first and second members whereby the locking ring is moved from its first to a second position such that the first cams are locked between the locking ring and the locking member and whereby said first member and second member are releasably locked together.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim in which the first member is a mat, the second members are caissons, and a platform is supported by said mat vertically spaced apart therefrom.

7. Releasable locking apparatus in combination with a first horizontal mat member and a vertically cylindrical second member which comprises means on the lower end of the second member formed to provide a first shell, said first shell being of a truncated cone shape and downwardly flared, the first and second members having an opening therethrough, the perimeter of the opening being defined by an upstanding member having depending from its upper end an outwardly flaring second shell having an outer surface corresponding to the downwardly flared first shell, said rst shell telescopically fitting over the upstanding member, a first cam attached to the first shell and movable within an opening in the first shell,

a second cam attached to the upstanding member and movable within an opening in the upstanding member, a

`locking means carried exteriorly on the upstanding member. between the first cam and the second cam and movable from a first to a second position, tripping means carried by said first member in operative relationship to said first cam, a locking member carried between the upstanding member and the second shell in operative relation-v ship to said first cam, movement of said first shell into mating engagement with said second shell causing said tripping means to move the first cam to operative position, the second cam being adapted to be moved into contact with said locking means by a spud driven through the aligned openings of the first and second members whereby the locking meansA is moved from its first to its second position such that therfirst cam is locked between the locking means and the locking member whereby said first member and second member are releasably locked together.

8. Releasable locking apparatus in combination with a horizontal 'mat member and a caisson which comprises means on' the lower end of the caisson formed to provide a first truncated downwardly flared cone-shaped shell, the mat member having an opening therethrough, the perimeter of the opening through the mat member being defined by an annular upstanding member having depending from its upper end an outwardly fiaring second truncated coneshaped shell having an outer surface corresponding to the downwardly fiared first shell, said first shell telescopically fitting over the upstanding member, a plurality of first cams attached to the first shell and each movable within an opening in the first shell, a plurality of second cams attached to the annular member and each movable within an opening in the annular member, a locking ring carried exteriorly on the annular member between the first cams and the second cams and movable from a first to a second position, annular tripping means carried by said first member in operative relationship to said first cams, an annular locking member carried between the annular member and the second shell in operative relationship to said first cams, movement of said first shell into mating engagement with said second shell causing said tripping means to move the first cams to operative position, the second cams being adapted to be moved into contact with said locking ring by a spud driven through the aligned openings of the mat member and the caisson whereby the locking ring is moved from` its first to its second position such that the first cams are locked between the locking ring and the locking member and whereby said mat member and said caisson are releasably locked together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

